Ahh My Laptop Keeps Freezing!

[BecciMac1987]

Dear all technically minded ppl,
Please bear in mind you are talking to a total comptuer novice...
My laptop keeps freezing when it is running normally. Literally I load it up and within 5 mins of loading it freezes. I havent installed anything on it and only use the internet so guessing its a virus?
Its a new Sony Vaio with Windows Vista if that helps! Im having to use it in safe mode and its fine.
What can I do to sort it short of taking it to a shop?

 

[Truck]

do you have any antivirus software installed? if so run a scan in safe mode

 

[BecciMac1987]

Nope Ive never installed anything, just turned it on from new and away I went!

 

[Truck]

youve probably got a virus, start it up in safe mode with net working and download 'AVG' antivirus, its not the best but its ok. you could have killed your laptop unless you can manually remove a virus if you have one ( if your not too clue up on PC's and you dont know how to manually remove a virus take it to a shop and buy some antivirus software (norton 360 is quite good)

 

[nitro7]

Dear all technically minded ppl,
Please bear in mind you are talking to a total comptuer novice...
My laptop keeps freezing when it is running normally. Literally I load it up and within 5 mins of loading it freezes. I havent installed anything on it and only use the internet so guessing its a virus?
Its a new Sony Vaio with Windows Vista if that helps! Im having to use it in safe mode and its fine.
What can I do to sort it short of taking it to a shop?

hi becci
i would go on google,put in Avast and download avast home its free
ive been useing it for years and had no probs
simple to use and up dates daily.

eric

 

[tenohfive]

Okies, a few basic questions first:

Is it still covered by a warranty? If so, send it back or go through the official motions before you do anything else.

If the answer to the above is no, then some more questions:

What processor and how much RAM? Since new has it ever worked? How long was it running for before you had these problems, and did you do anything significant to it?

I wouldn't assume its a virus, but downloading AVG Free/Avast (both good virus software) is a good idea - along with a programme called Spybot. All are good security programmes and are free. Run scans with all of them.

Post up answers to the above and I'll get back to you. I'm a bit of a techie geek (and know a few more techie minded than me) and we should be able to get it sorted.

The most important thing to remember though - If you bought it from new and its still within the warranty period, don't mess around with it as you could end up invalidating that warranty

 

[BecciMac1987]

Its about 9 months old and bought it on credit card so yeah I guess Im covered, but have no idea how to go about sending it back, surely they will say its my fault for not having anti virus software?
No idea about processer or RAM, dont even know what it means lol...give me a few mins and I will see if I can dig out the box...
Thanks for all your help x

 

[BecciMac1987]

Right Ive got STOPzilla (though I googled spybot-loads of options!) and AVG free downloading. Should take about half hour?

 

[Tech-Frog]

Easy solution, find the box and the included restore disks, it DID come with some, and use them to fix the problem.

 

[BecciMac1987]

Easy solution, find the box and the included restore disks, it DID come with some, and use them to fix the problem.

LOL Im running to find the box now....god if only its that easy!

Nope no disks

 

[BecciMac1987]

Ok throughout the manual it says MAKE RECOVERY DISKS as soon as the computer is started, well I didnt. So then it says, if you dont, you must buy the disks or repair the computer at you own expense. Well great, the blonde really did screw up then ahhhh!
So am I doomed.... My OH is guna go insane!

 

[Tech-Frog]

That is quite strange, almost always a recovery CD is included, I guess your best option is take it back if its under warranty, doing a virus scan won't fix the problem, and even if it does, nothing says it won't come back.

Why fix it if you can get an entire new one for free?

 

[BecciMac1987]

Typical that I buy a bloody expensive vaio and it doesnt have disks! They've stated in the warrenty that without recovery disks I have to repair at my own expense. Might give em a call anyway tomorrow and try my luck.

Yeah just trawled through the warrenty and it defo doesn't cover viruses etc.

 

[rabbut]

It sounds like just a software bug to me. It could be a Virus or it could just be Vista... To be fair, it is a realy cheap thing to fix if you know how (Free) First off, is there a Vista licence key under-neath the laptop? If so, life is going to be fairly easy. If not, things get more tricky...

If you can't see the key, ask the OH to look for you. Don't post the pics on here, or people could install a free copy of Vista on you, and potentially, you could be done for software piracy That key is unique to your copy of Windows and easily traced if MS's loyers choose to do so. Getting it into the public domain on the net allows several people to install Windows with it, untill MS see there's something up with your key and "blacklist" it, voiding yours and any freeloaders copys of Windows

All the best
Rabbut

EDIT to add, the warrenty covers Hardwear, not Softwear, so if any of the parts have failed, you are covered regardless. If it's a virus, it's softwear and not covered by the Hardwear warrenty. All they'd do if you called up with a fault while the computer still switched on is ask you to run the recovery disks first and then call them back if they diden't work...

 

[BecciMac1987]

Thanks Rabbut, this is sounding promising..
Yep there is a Vista Key code on a sticker on the back of my laptop. Tell me more!....
(Im doing a scan via spybot now, and just finishing installing AVG)